Holiday Tophatter Auctions

Hey everyone! We wanted to let you know that we have lots upcoming auctions on Tophatter with beautiful handmade and vintage items, as well as supplies. We will be running our auctions on week and weekend nights starting on November 2nd, 2013 from 8pm onwards.

We hope to build up a following for a 12 Days of Christmas on Tophatter event, where we will be showcasing some amazing gift ideas, stunning deals and fabulous finds.

So set your reminders for our upcoming auctions and sign-up to our newsletter to stay tuned on upcoming events!

The first four auction will be taking place here:

1. Nov 2 - tophatter.com/auctions/33559?campaign=community
2. Nov 3 - tophatter.com/auctions/33560?campaign=community
3. Nov 4 - tophatter.com/auctions/33561?campaign=community
4. Nov 5 - tophatter.com/auctions/33565?campaign=community

Click on each and set a reminder to help us reach maximum exposure too!

Here is a peek of what you can find in our auctions.

See you there!

Promo Frenzy Team

Promotional Frenzy Cyber Monday Giveaway!

Promotional Frenzy Cyber Monday Giveaway

This giveaway runs from 11/1/13 - 12/2/13

Over $650 in Handmade Prizes

PLUS

$100 Etsy Gift Card!!! 

Please see below on how you can enter to win! Contest rules and entry forms included below. Also, check out some of the amazing prizes you could win! 

 

Entry-Form

Entry-Form

Tweetdeck tool for managing Twitter

Twitter tools will help you grow your business and make your life that much easier!  Here is an overview of  Tweet Deck, a tool that can help you save time and organize your tweets.

You can find and download the program at Tweetdeck.com

Tweetdeck is great tool for managing all your tweets. It’s actually the one that I prefer to work with because it offers so many solutions in one spot. However, you do need to install it on your computer to get it working. That’s the hard part.

Once it is installed, you will find it in your programs, here is an example of what it looks  like on my computer.

 Everything else is a breeze to work with. One you open the program, you will be directed to the dashboard, that you can customize it to show which columns you want to see.

 Here are some functionalities that are really interesting to work with.

-Scheduled tweets: schedule tweets in advance and the leave your house and run some errands! You won’t need to have all 30 Retweet windows open and tick them off one by one every 5 minutes.

Schedule how-to: To schedule a tweet using tweetdeck, click on the feather pen icon at the top left of the program, copy and paste the retweet or write a new one, click on the schedule tweet button and choose time and date. Easy!

Tweet button

Tweet screen

Tweet Schedule

- Interaction: see who is retweeting you, faving your tweets

- Messages: see who sent you direct messages

- Followers: see new followers and follow then back

- Mentions: see tweets that mention you username, and reply to them

Hope this mini overview will help you out in your tweeting!

xox Krys

Etsy Holiday Bootcamp - Week 2 Part 1 - Inventory

Here is the week 2 part 1 email from the Etsy holiday boot camp program

Hi there,

Now that you’ve fleshed out your primary goal and key dates, it’s time to stock your shop with wonderful, gift-worthy products. We hope you’ve been making inventory (or acquiring the most fantastic vintage pieces) and ordering supplies for some time, but it’s not too late to start. This week is the perfect time to evaluate your inventory.

How do you decide what to order, buy and create? You have a ton of information at your fingertips. Download your Inventory Planning Guide to begin organizing that data and making decisions.

Start by using your Shop Stats and sales information to review 2012 and determine your growth in 2013 to date. Have orders and revenue increased over the year? At what rate are sales increasing or decreasing? If the year continues at the same rate, what will your sales be this November and the first half of December? What other information can you collect to determine which of your items sell best?

Tip: Speed up the process; check out an online percentage calculatorto make your calculations a snap.

Now you can make an informed plan for production and inventory management. Remember, the more items you have listed, the more chances shoppers have to find your shop. Review your inventory plan and ensure that it puts you on your track toward your seasonal goal.

Extra Credit:

•	Read Holiday Merchandising Guide: Winter Trends and Tips.
•	Exchange Boot Camp tips in this Etsy Success discussion.
•	Sign up now for this Friday's online video workshop, Merchandising Matters. Etsy’s merchandising pro, Emily Bidwell, will share insider insights and interview successful seller, Tamara Bavdek, of This Ilk, about holiday merchandising strategies.
•	Read How to Merchandise Your Shop for the Holidays. Part 2 coming soon! xox Krys

Etsy Holiday Boot Camp - Week 1 Goals

I thought it might be interesting to share the highlights of the Etsy Christmas Boot camp with the team. Think of this as a condensed version of everything you need to know from the Bootcamp program in case you didn't sign-up in time or at all! Some of these will be shorter when possible, some will longer, because everything in the email was too important not to share!

You will find great articles, worksheets and fun tips and tricks to get sales!

Week 1 – Set a goal

Assignment # 1: Use the worksheets below to plan out your goals and set dates to them.

Holiday Goal Worksheet

Holiday Calendar Checklist

Discussions # 2: share your progress on social media with #EtsyHolidayBootCamp and also use the team’s tags #promofrenzy and @promofrenzy so that etsy sees what an involved team we are!

 Readings# 3: Read the 3 Easy Steps for Managing Time and Reaching Your Goals

Lesson 2:

Assignment 1: Holiday checklist: consider adding these following points and preparing for them when making your Holiday Calendar Check List from Lesson 1:

•	Make a shipping action plan. Publicize cutoff dates for shipping internationally and domestically before major holidays.
•	Order extra shipping supplies or introduce seasonal packaging.
•	Launch a new product or product line. (Read Grow What You Know: Prepping for a New Product Line for advice.)
•	Update your listings and tags.
•	Participate in a promotional sale on Black Friday or Cyber Monday.
•	Reach out to a blogger for a possible feature.
•	Sell at a local craft show.

Assignment 2: Before shopper traffic picks up, practice a new productivity method. Here are a few that are tried and true:

1.	Decrease procrastination with the Pomodoro technique. Use a timer to focus chunks of time on specific tasks like packaging or responding to convos. You might be surprised how quickly you can burn through your to-do list.
2.	Block out time for catch-up days in your calendar. Don’t plan anything; when the day arrives and you find you’re up-to-date on your calendar and task list, enjoy the free time, relax and rest. A little behind? You’ve got the day to catch up.
3.	Write everything down. Use a notebook, planner, whiteboard or sketch out a mind map. Let your to-do list do the work to avoid feeling overwhelmed.
4.	Break tasks into small, actionable chunks. Need to update 50 listings? Decide you’ll edit 10 each day for a working week. Be specific about numbers, dates and quantities whenever possible.

Tip: Team up with a fellow seller for support. Chatting while you both update your listings, wrap up packages or tackle tedious tasks can make work a little lighter.

Readings and discussions #3:

•	Read 5 Ways to Work Smarter, Not Harder.
•	Read How to Rock It at a Holiday Craft Fair.
•	Share your experience in this discussion on holiday goals.

That is it for this week! Check back in next Wednesday for more assignments to help grow your business!

xox Krys from the PFT

October Birthstone: Opal

October Birthstone : Opal
Birthstone Color: Multi-colored 

Libra 
Astrological sign of Libra The sign of the Scales
Dates: September 23 - October 23 

Peruvian Opal Earrings


Alternate Birthstones of Libra: Peridot, Agate Aquamarine,  Tourmaline and Sapphire

October's birthstone treats the eye to an explosion of shimmering colors, not unlike those of a magnificent rainbow following a summer rain.  The Opal derives its name from the Latin word "opalus," meaning precious jewel.  Prized for its unique ability to refract and reflect specific wavelengths of light, the Opal was called "Cupid Paederos" by the Romans, meaning a child beautiful as love.  One legendary explanation for this gemstone's origin is that it fell from heaven in a flash of fiery lightning.  

Opal bracelet


Ancient monarchs treasured Opals, both for their beauty and for their presumed protective powers.  They were set into crowns and worn in necklaces to ward off evil and to protect the eyesight.  These gemstones were also ground and ingested for their healing properties and to ward off nightmares.  

The Opal dates back to prehistoric times.  It is a non-crystallized silica, which is a mineral found near the earth's surface in areas where ancient geothermal hot springs once existed.  As the hot springs dried up, layers of the silica, combined with water, were deposited into the cracks and cavities of the bedrock, forming Opal.  This gemstone actually contains up to 30% water, so it must be protected from heat or harsh chemicals, both of which will cause drying and may lead to cracking and loss of iridescence.  Opal must also be guarded from blows, since it is relatively soft and breaks easily.   

Opal Crystal Earrings


Most of the world's Opal deposits are found in Southern Australia.  Other sources of this gemstone are Brazil, Mexico, Czechoslovakia and Nevada. Quality Opal is very expensive, made more so by the caution that must be exercised in cutting, polishing and setting it into jewelry.   

A gift of Opal is symbolic of faithfulness and confidence.  And the powerful energy radiating from this fiery gemstone will surely illuminate any occasion!

Opal Heart Necklace


Positive characteristics
Charming 
Perceptive 
Diplomatic 
Pleasant 
Refined 

Negative traits
Frivolous 
Flirtatious 
Indecisive 
Insecure 
Deceitful

SPECIAL CARE INSTRUCTIONS Very heat sensitive, clean with warm or room temperature soap and water. Avoid wearing gem where it will get rough treatment. 

by Linda Blatchford, Jewelry Designer
http://linorstorecom.blogspot.com 

October Holiday and Theme list!

Halloween is the obvious choice, but we all know Etsy like obscure holiday themed treasuries!! So here we go with some new ones this October!

October, 2013 Bizarre and Unique Holidays

Month:

• Adopt a Shelter Dog Month
• American Pharmacist Month
• Apple Jack Month
• Awareness Month
• Breast Cancer Awareness Month
• Clergy Appreciation Month
• Computer Learning Month
• Cookie Month
• Domestic Violence Awareness Month
• Eat Country Ham Month
• International Drum Month
• Lupus Awareness Month
• National Diabetes Month
• National Pizza Month
• National Vegetarian Month
• National Popcorn Popping Month
• Sarcastic Month
• Seafood Month

Weekly Celebrations:

• Week 1 Get Organized Week
• Week 1 Customer Service Week
• Week 2 Fire Prevention Week
• Week 2 Pet Peeve Week
• Week 3 Pastoral Care Week

October, 2013 Daily Holidays, Special and Wacky Days:
1 World Vegetarian Day
2 National Custodial Worker Day
2 Name Your Car Day
3 Techies Day
3 Virus Appreciation Day
4 National Golf Day
4 National Frappe Day
5 Do Something Nice Day
5 International Frugal Fun Day - first Saturday of the month
5 World Teacher's Day
6 Come and Take it Day
6 Mad Hatter Day
6 Oktoberfest in Germany ends, date varies
6 Physician Assistant Day
7 Bald and Free Day
7 World Smile Day
8 American Touch Tag Day
9 Curious Events Day
9 Emergency Nurses Day- date varies
9 Fire Prevention Day
9 Leif Erikson Day
9 Moldy Cheese Day
10 National Angel Food Cake Day
11 It's My Party Day
11 Take Your Teddy Bear to Work Day
11 World Egg Day  - second Friday of month
12 Cookbook Launch Day
12 Old Farmer's Day
12 Moment of Frustration Day
14 Columbus Day - second Monday of month
13 International Skeptics Day
14 Be Bald and Free Day
14 National Dessert Day - take an extra helping, or two
15 White Cane Safety Day
16 Bosses Day
16 Dictionary Day
17 Wear Something Gaudy Day
18 No Beard Day  
19 Evaluate Your Life Day
19 International Newspaper Carrier Day -date varies each year
19 Sweetest Day Third Saturday of month
20 Brandied Fruit Day    
21 Babbling Day
21 Count Your Buttons Day
21 National Pumpkin Cheesecake Day find a recipe, too.
22 National Nut Day
23 National Mole Day
23 Tv Talk Show Host Day
24 National Bologna Day
24 United Nations Day  
19 Sweetest Day Third Saturday of month  
25 Punk for a Day Day
25 World Pasta Day
25 Frankenstein Friday - last Friday in October
26 Make a Difference Day-  fourth Saturday of the month, neighbors helping neighbors.
26 National Mincemeat Day
27 National Tell a Story Day - in Scotland and the U.K.
27  Mother-In-Law Day - fourth Sunday in October
27 Navy Day
28 Plush Animal Lover's Day    
29 Hermit Day
29 National Frankenstein Day
30 National Candy Corn Day
30 Mischief Night
31 Carve a Pumpkin Day - no surprise here
31 Halloween
31 Increase Your Psychic Powers Day

source: http://holidayinsights.com/moreholidays/october.htm